


I'm With You

by EmerialynCodeVenice



Series: Silver Lining Corpsekkuno AU [1]
Category: Video Blogging RPF
Genre: (He's Very Wrong), Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Anxiety Attacks, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff and Angst, Insecure Sykkuno, M/M, New OTV Member Sykkuno, OTV Group FREAKING OUT When Sykkuno Goes Missing, Pre Among Us Popularity, Protective Corpse Vs Protective OTV House, Self-Esteem Issues, Sickfic, Social Anxiety, Thinks No One Likes Him, so many misunderstandings, they're so adorable
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-15
Updated: 2021-02-15
Packaged: 2021-03-16 16:27:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,342
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29456724
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EmerialynCodeVenice/pseuds/EmerialynCodeVenice
Summary: After a bad live stream, Sykkuno goes on a walk and gets lost in a storm. He passes out on a bridge, but is saved by a stranger named Corpse... in more ways than one.(Set when Sykkuno had just joined the OTV House and before Corpse met them or started getting famous for Among Us)
Relationships: Corpse Husband & Sykkuno (Video Blogging RPF), Corpse Husband/Sykkuno (Video Blogging RPF)
Series: Silver Lining Corpsekkuno AU [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2163639
Comments: 24
Kudos: 529





	I'm With You

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Valentines Day! ❤️ 
> 
> Everyone knows the drill: this is a complete work of fiction only BASED on the online personas of Corpse, Sykkuno, and other characters described here. Will be deleted the moment any of them say that they are uncomfortable with this kind of work.
> 
> I'm pretty new to discovering their channels, but Corpse in particular has affected me since we share multiple physical and mental illnesses. I just... really relate to him and Sykkuno a lot. I truly appreciate everything they do. They've made my life better by just existing. 
> 
> Anyway, this is theoretically set around September 2020 (a little bit after Sykkuno moved into the OTV House and before Corpse started playing Among Us with the group).
> 
> I hope you enjoy!

Wind and rain battered Sykkuno from all sides, but he kept on walking.

It'd only been overcast when he'd left, but it definitely wasn't _just_ anything now. The sky was a deep black, thunder and lightning crashing around him as it seemed like the heavens themselves wanted to vent every last frustration they had with the world.

If Sykkuno was any good at writing (or speaking), he'd probably compare the weather to how he felt when he left the OTV House, unstable and fluctuating wildly, but he honestly could only think about how cold he was. How he was soaked to the bone and felt every inch of him trembling with every step he took forward.

On the bright side, he'd been too distracted when he left the house to bring a coat. If he had, it wouldn't have done much to protect him and probably would've been ruined with his luck anyway.

On the less bright side... he was lost.

Very lost.

He hadn't lived in this area for long, and every street looked the same when he couldn't see ten feet in front of him. Water kept blinding his eyes-- _whether it was from the rain or tears, he didn't know–_ and further made it impossible to navigate which way was which.

Sykkuno was _pretty_ sure that he'd crossed a bridge while wandering around aimlessly, but now that he was on one, he wasn't sure that he'd remembered it right.

He really wished that he'd brought his phone, then he would've been able to call someone or at least have GPS to guide him, but he'd messed up and left it behind.

_Messed up like he always did._

He bit his lip, wincing when the chapped skin easily broke. Yet, even the sting couldn't distract him from his thoughts overwhelming him again.

He'd messed up.

 _Again_.

The OTV House had been doing a group stream. Sykkuno really had tried to pay attention, but he'd been so nervous that it'd been hard to focus. Toast had said something that he hadn't heard right and hadn't been able to properly respond to, oxygen suddenly a lot harder to take in.

He wasn't sure what happened next, but suddenly there was the sound of arguing and Lily had ushered him into another room before leaving again.

The inside of his ears had felt strangely muffled, but Sykkuno could hear the way his housemates had been yelling at one another. He knew that it must've been his fault.

So, he'd left.

Just walked out the door without saying a word with the hope that they'd calm down once the source of the fight was gone–he'd have only made it worse if he interrupted them, anyway.

He really hadn't meant to get stuck out in the storm, but he didn't mean for a lot of things to happen. Of course, that didn't make anything better, or change the fact that he was in this situation right now.

No, it was becoming clear that the best thing that Sykkuno could do was be as far away from the OTV Group as possible. It'd been a mistake to move there in the first place and intrude on everyone.

Sure, Lily had insisted, but he knew very well that no one liked him. Toast had to outright hate him after embarrassing them like that on a live stream, and the others probably felt the same.

What had Sykkuno been thinking, moving there? Even Lily didn't know all his issues, but he'd put himself in a situation where they'd be able to see _firsthand_ what a disappointment he was.

Now, he probably didn't have friends anymore.

Probably didn't even have a _home_.

Sykkuno put a hand up to his mouth, resisting the urge to heave. He hadn't eaten yet today, had felt too nauseous in preparation for the live stream, so he didn't know why his stomach was rebelling like this. There was nothing in his stomach to throw up.

He reached out to grab the side of the bridge to try and steady himself, feeling like he was swaying even though he was pretty sure that he'd stopped moving. He stared out at an inky darkness, uncertain if he was looking at the sky or the ground.

It was all blurring together and he felt himself leaning forward–

 _"STOP!_ "

Even though his ears felt like they were full of cotton, Sykkuno jumped at the sound of a deep, but powerful, voice from behind him. He spun around, stumbling as he did, to look at the speaker.

It appeared to be a man, maybe around Sykkuno's age? He wore a black face mask, so Sykkuno wasn't really sure.

He had dark hair–-also drenched from the rain-–and looked to be a bit taller than him, height becoming more evident as he walked towards Sykkuno at a pace that seemed slow even with the storm whipping around them.

The stranger's arms were held out, Sykkuno was a frightened animal that would run if spooked. More than that, the intensity of his eyes made Sykkuno feel like he was trying to tell him something.

But whatever that was, Sykkuno couldn't decipher it. It was as if the sudden appearance had sapped all the energy that Sykkuno had left--all the effort he'd been using to stay conscious.

Suddenly, his limbs went numb and Sykkuno felt himself falling forward with no way to stop it.

Just before he blacked out, he was pretty sure he saw the stranger running forward towards him...

o0o0o0o

When Sykkuno next awoke, he felt like he was being burned alive.

Even though he couldn't see any smoke, it felt like he was suffocating on the air with his throat scratchy like it'd been shredded by thorns. His chest was painfully tight like it was being squeezed in an iron cage with no escape.

His eyes felt wet, but even when he blinked the tears away, he still couldn't see properly. Wherever he was, it was dark.

Suddenly, there was a shadow moving above him, and a deep voice spoke.

"H-Hey, it's okay." The shadow seemed to hesitate before placing a hand on his head. It felt delightfully cool and Sykkuno pressed into it with relief. "You should go back to sleep."

With his head too muddled to consider not trusting the soothing voice, Sykkuno willingly fell back into a deep sleep.

o0o0o0o

When Sykkuno woke again, he still felt terrible, but coherent enough to realize that the ceiling above him wasn't familiar.

And that the person sitting on a chair next to him wasn't anyone he knew.

It took a moment before the stranger seemed to realize that Sykkuno was awake. They stared at one another with wide eyes, as if both uncertain how they'd gotten into this situation.

Strangely enough, Sykkuno didn't feel nervous like he usually did in front of a stranger. Of course, that may just be the weirdness of the situation and his tiredness talking.

Evidently, the stranger was also worried because he began to profusely apologize. "I-I know this is probably freaking you out, but I swear I mean you no harm even though I know that I look like a fucking creep. You passed out on the bridge and I didn't know what to do but bring you back to my apartment--"

With a start, the events that had led Sykkuno here came back to him in a flash.

Had he... had he really passed out like that? In the middle of a storm? Oh Jesus, he was lucky to be alive!

Meanwhile, his savior was still apologizing.

"--and I probably should've called the hospital b-but I didn't because, uh, fuck, I shouldn't have let my own issues get in the... I should probably call them now because I'm definitely not a doctor in any fucking way--"

"I-It's okay!" Sykkuno stammered out finally, kind of stunned when the stranger stopped talking immediately to listen to him. "R-Really, I don't have money anyway. I can't even pay my water bill half the time, nonetheless a medical bill..."

He tried to sit up, but failed, collapsing back to the bed before even rising a few inches.

The stranger held out a hand, as if to catch him, but Sykkuno's could only think of the implications of him being there and what the other man must've gone through to help him.

"O-Oh Jesus, I've caused you so much trouble!" Sykkuno stammered, feeling twice as mortified from the fact that he apparently couldn't even _get up_ right now. "A-And I haven't even thanked you for that, but I swear, I'm really thankful! I'm so sorry that you had to in the first place. I-I swear I'll try to repay you–"

It was the stranger's turn to be stunned before shaking his head.

"No, no, I didn't... you don't need to thank me. I'd be a pretty big asshole if I just left you out there, and even more of one since this was all I could do for you."

"N-Not true," Sykkuno protested. "You're even letting me sleep in your bed!" His eyes widened. His _bed_. "Oh Jesus, am I in your bed? Please tell me you have another one!" He flushed at the bewildered look on his savior's face. "I-I mean, I understand if you don't, I don't, but I'd feel really bad if, uh..."

A moment passed before the stranger laughed, the tension in his shoulders seeming to deflate a tiny but noticeable amount. "I only have one bed, but it's fine. Not the first time I slept on the couch."

Sykkuno felt even worse now. To the point that he could feel tears prickling at the corner of his eyes.

Usually, he'd be able to hold them back, but he felt so drained and tired that one slipped down his face before he could stop it.

"Don't cry!" His savior's eyes filled with panic. "It's really alright--"

"N-No, it's not." Now, with the emotions building again, Sykkuno was reminded of everything that had happened in the OTV House and how he'd nearly _died_ from his own stupidity.

He closed his eyes, trying to hold back the tears threatening to fall. Hadn't he cried enough last night? "I-I'm sorry. I'm always messing up. I'm just a burden on everyone--"

Unbeknownst to Sykkuno, the stranger next to him goes very still.

"--I r-really don't want to be, but I j-just keep on ruining things---"

"You're _not_."

Stunned by the rough interruption, Sykkuno opened his eyes to see his savior with his brows furrowed. His hands were clenched into fists in his lap, but he looked at Sykkuno with an intense look of seriousness that stopped Sykkuno's stammering in its tracks.

"You're _not_ a burden," he said firmly. "It was my choice to take you here and it's not your fault in any way. Anyone who says different can _fuck_ _off_."

Sykkuno stared wordlessly, mouth probably gaped unattractively, but he couldn't help it.

He... he honestly didn't know what to say.

The stranger flushed at Sykkuno's look of awe, but didn't look away. His eyes seemed to soften.

"I... I know that whatever is going on in your head is probably telling you that I'm wrong, that you can't do anything right or that you deserve every problem going on in your life--"

How... did he know? How could he read the turmoil inside of Sykkuno so easily?

"--but it's not true," the stranger said, determination audibly building even as the compassion in his expression only grew. "I promise. For me, at least, it's not true. You're not a burden."

Silence stretched out between them.

Sykkuno stared in shock before tears prickled at his eyes again, but they were different this time.

This time, they felt... relieving? If that made sense? Like his problems weren't gone in any way, but were somehow lighter?

His savior seemed to know that these tears were different, staying quiet and watching without judgment as Sykkuno cried quietly, every drop feeling a knot loosening from around his heart.

Crying must have worn him out because the next thing Sykkuno knew was that it was suddenly really hard to keep his eyes open. His eyelids fluttered, blinking rapidly as he tried to ward off sleep more than sadness.

He heard a deep chuckle from beside him. "Sleep."

Sykkuno didn't want to, felt like he had so much more to say, but felt himself drift off regardless.

o0o0o0o

The third time Sykkuno woke up, he no longer felt like death warmed over.

But what he did feel was that he _really_ needed to use the restroom.

His legs felt as shaky as a newborn faun's as he rose from the too comfortable bed. He didn't examine the room much as he walked across it, but it appeared to be sparsely decorated with heavy curtains on a window off to the side.

Making his way to the door, he hesitated while opening it, glancing down both sides of the hallway for his savior. There was no sign of the one who rescued him, but he did see what looked to be a bathroom across the hall with the door cracked open.

It took a moment of heavy debate before Sykkuno decided it'd probably be fine to use it without asking.

As he washed his hands, Sykkuno stared at his reflection in the mirror with a hint of disbelief. Even if he no longer felt like he'd been hit by a car, he kind of looked it.

His face was as pale as a ghost. His hair the messiest he'd ever seen. His eyes were puffy and red in a way that he probably wouldn't be able to blame solely on a lack of sleep.

It took splashing water in his face before he realized just how thirsty he was. He took a moment to cup his hands beneath the faucet and take a drink, feeling significantly more human as he did.

It also alerted him to the ravenous hunger in his stomach, but he didn't know what he'd be able to do about that. He also hadn't brought his wallet on his 'walk,' so he'd just have to wait until he got back–

Sykkuno was distracted from his thoughts by a low _bang_ from somewhere in the apartment, the sound followed by a low curse.

Deciding that he probably shouldn't delay any longer, Sykkuno left the bathroom and walked down the hall. He arrived in what appeared to be a small kitchen area.

Standing beside a small table with bags on it, his savior was leaning down to pick up what looked to be a can of soup with a dent in the side.

He seemed surprised to see Sykkuno standing there in the door because his eyes widened, nearly dropping the can again.

"O-Oh, hi! You're up."

"Um, yeah."

It was a terrible response, but the stranger didn't seem put off by it at all, nodding as if he was genuinely ecstatic to hear that. "That's good. You feeling better?"

"Oh, definitely, _loads_ better--"

Of course, that was the moment that the universe decided to prove Sykkuno wrong.

Maybe he hadn't drunk enough water before because his throat began to rebel with just a few words. Heavy, loud coughs left his mouth and he covered his mouth, trying to make them stop and breathe at the same time.

The stranger seemed to hesitate before coming over, awkwardly but gently patting Sykkuno's back.

While the motion didn't help stop the coughing, Sykkuno found he didn't mind at all.

A moment later Sykkuno felt himself being led to the table, a glass of water pushed in front of him. Sykkuno was momentarily confused by its sudden presence before realizing that his savior must've prepared it ahead of time. How thoughtful.

"T-Thank you," coughed out Sykkuno after he finished swallowing, breathing returning to normal. He looked at the bags of groceries on the table. "S-So, went shopping?"

"Yeah," the stranger replied, rubbing the back of his head as he nodded. "I didn't really have food because, uh, going outside is really fucking hard sometimes, but not feeding a sick person is really fucking rude--" He exhaled, bringing one hand to his face. "Sorry. I'm... a fucking mess."

"Y-You don't have to apologize!" Sykkuno said immediately. "It's really nice of you! Especially if you don't like going outside. But you didn't have to worry about feeding me, I-I don't really have my wallet, so I won't be able to pay you back right now..."

"Don't worry about it." The stranger shook his head. "Despite what my house looks like, I can afford a can of soup--or however much you want."

"You have a nice house!" Sykkuno hurried to say. He meant it, too. Maybe it didn't have a lot of personal touches, but it was by no means off-putting. "Really!"

The stranger snorted. "Sounds sus." He froze, eyes widening. "Uh... sorry, that probably sounds like I'm being a dick if you've never heard of the game--"

"Among Us?" Sykkuno filled in, excitement growing. "I love it! A-Actually, I'm a gaming YouTuber? So, I'm, um, pretty familiar with it."

It still felt awkward to tell anyone what he did for a living--especially since he wasn't very popular--so he generally avoided it, but everything that his savior had done so far told Sykkuno that he'd be accepting.

He was proven right when the stranger's face lit up. "No shit? Me too. A YouTuber, I mean."

"That's awesome!" Sykkuno's eyes widened. It really was a small world, wasn't it? "What's your username?"

"I doubt you've heard of me." The stranger chuckled, a low, reverberating sound that seemed to echo in every part of Sykkuno. "But it's Corpse Husband."

"I haven't," Sykkuno admitted. "But that just means that I need to check you out, Mr. Corpse!"

"Oh?" His newly named savior seemed to smirk. "I'd like that."

"Yeah!" Sykkuno agreed with a wide smile.

Corpse stared at him, as if distracted by something. It took a moment before Sykkuno realized that he hadn't remembered to cover his face.

His smile fell and he ducked his head, instinctively covering his mouth with one hand as his cheeks reddened. "Um, what kind of videos do you make?"

For some reason, Corpse grimaced. "Uh... I read horror stories."

While Sykkuno wasn't very familiar with what went into doing that, he had a feeling that Corpse was well-suited for it. "You definitely have a great voice for it!"

"That's the hope." Corpse's eyes crinkled, a clear sign of a smile beneath his mask. "I just hit 1.5 million subscribers, so I'm glad that other people agree at least."

"Congratulations!" Sykkuno raised his hands to clap before realizing that it was probably weird to do and quickly lowered them.

Given the tilt of Corpse's head, he was pretty sure that he'd been seen anyway.

"I-I just hit 500,000," Sykkuno continued, "but that's nothing in comparison." He felt his mood dim. "A-And it really had nothing to do with me anyway. It's just because I have a lot of way more popular friends who take pity on me."

"It takes more than popular friends to get that many," Corpse argued, surprising Sykkuno. "And I'd _definitely_ watch you."

"Really?" Sykkuno didn't mean for the word to come out so uncertain, but Corpse's quick nods admittedly made him feel better, even if Corpse was just humoring him.

"Definitely," Corpse repeated. "You raise my serotonin by just existing."

"Oh Jesus, I'm really not that good!" Sykkuno couldn't help but smile, covering it with one hand. "But, um, I could always use one more subscriber? And I'll definitely subscribe to you, too!"

"I would love that," Corpse said, sincerity evident in his tone. 

The gaze of his eyes seemed to warm Sykkuno from the inside out. His face certainly felt hot enough.

A few moments passed before Corpse cleared his throat. "So, uh, are you going to tell me your name or...?"

"It's Sykkuno!" He felt so embarrassed. It was pretty hard to look someone up if you didn't have their name, wasn't it? "Or, um, it's Thomas, but I kinda prefer using Sykkuno? It's my YouTube username regardless."

"Same," Corpse said, nodding. He paused, expression tightening a small amount. "Or, um, same in that I prefer Corpse over my birth name. Bad connotations with that one."

That sounded kind of sad. Sykkuno was sure that Corpse had a really nice name, but he would do whatever made Corpse feel the most comfortable.

Sykkuno was thinking of what next to say when his stomach let out a low _gurgle_.

He flushed as Corpse let out a low chuckle, but Sykkuno couldn't feel _too_ bad when that dark look on his face evaporated as well.

"Sorry," Corpse said, picking up the soup can while grabbing another one from the grocery bag. "I should really be warming this stuff up."

"Only if you want to!"

"Oh?" Corpse raised an eyebrow, a mischievous light in his eyes. "I mean, if my guest wants it _cold_ , I suppose I could oblige."

"I would happily eat anything you gave me," Sykkuno insisted before smirking. "But it _does_ sound pretty sus to have it cold. Are you trying to hide that you can only fake tasks, good sir?"

Corpse blinked in wonder before giggling. "You can't prove anything."

"Well, I _suppose_ I could not report it," Sykkuno said with a deliberate 'thinking' expression, "since you saved me at all. That's admittedly a pretty weird move for an imposter and all..."

"Maybe you're so amazing that you convinced me from my evil ways," Corpse said, twisting the lid off both cans before pouring them into separate bowls on the counter.

"Oh, that definitely can't be it." Sykkuno's smile faded a bit. "I'm really not that special, so you must just be a good guy."

"Wrong on both accounts," Corpse said quietly, voice also losing a bit of that teasing tinge. Sykkuno found that he really missed it once it was gone.

Corpse met Sykkuno's eyes after putting the soup into a microwave, seeming to steel himself for something. "So, uh, do you want to talk about it?"

"What do you mean?" Sykkuno felt a tinge of nervousness crawl up his spine.

"You don't have to, of course." Corpse looked as uncomfortable as Sykkuno felt. "About... why you were out there, on the bridge--"

"W-Wait, did you think I was--" Sykkuno's throat tightened. "I-I wasn't! I m-mean, that's probably what someone who _would_... who would do that would say, but I r-really wasn't... I just l-lost track of time and the storm hit. I got stuck out there and I-I couldn't see really well but--"

"Hey."

Corpse's voice was soft as he came to stand in front of Sykkuno. It was only when Corpse, after a moment of hesitation, put his hands on Sykkuno's that Sykkuno realized they were trembling on the table.

"I trust you," he continued in that same tone of comfort that, strangely enough, didn't make Sykkuno feel like he was being pitied as he would by anyone else. "If you say that's what happened, I believe you."

Still, Sykkuno knew that he was overreacting, but he just couldn't seem to calm down.

_That seems to be a running theme lately._

"I-I'm sorry," Sykkuno said between large gulps of air. "F-For all of this. I-It's only because I was dumb and out there in the first place that you had to go through all this t-trouble."

"I told you," Corpse continued softly, thumbs rubbing soothing circles over Sykkuno's fingers. Sykkuno realized that Corpse's hands were also trembling, but his grip was tight--anchoring. "It wasn't trouble at all. I'm happy I did it."

With Corpse this close, it felt like there was nowhere Sykkuno could look but his eyes.

They were a deep, comforting brown that seemed to pull him in, telling him in a way that words could not that it really _was_ okay.

The lump in Sykkuno's throat only seemed to grow. "E-Even though I t-took your bed? And m-made you take care of me? And c-cried?"

He wasn't sure which one he was more embarrassed about, and that just what he had been consciously awake for.

"Even then," Corpse confirmed. "And I think you're overvaluing what I did. I almost had a panic attack when you passed out and nearly dropped you a dozen times on the way back."

Despite the emotions warring inside of him, Sykkuno couldn't help but giggle. "I-I'm not happy about upsetting you, but I'd have understood if you dropped me. I'm pretty heavy."

Corpse gave him a look that clearly read: _no, you are not._ "I've seen dogs that weigh more."

Sykkuno thought of Bimbus before laughing again. He really didn't know how Corpse did it, but he was feeling better already.

It kind of felt like emotional whiplash, but the good kind?

Or maybe he'd been right with the term from before--that Corpse was anchoring him every time he got washed away.

Glancing towards the microwave, Sykkuno saw that it was about to finish warming their soup.

A teasing smile filled his face. "Are you saying that I need to eat more?"

Corpse went to reply when the microwave _dinged_ with completion. He glanced towards it before back at Sykkuno with clear amusement. "Wonder where you got that idea?"

"No clue," Sykkuno said earnestly. He flushed as his stomach chose the perfect time to _gurgle_ again. "But, uh, if you gave me one of those bowls, I wouldn't complain?"

Corpse laughed as he brought out two steaming bowls of what appeared to be chicken noodle soup and placed them at the table.

"You might," Corpse quipped, rummaging around in one of the drawers before giving Sykkuno a spoon. "I literally grabbed the first thing I saw, so it's probably horrible."

Taking a moment to blow off the spoon, Sykkuno took a bite.

His stomach leaped for joy at the familiar taste, and he somehow felt hungrier than ever. "Not at all! This is the best canned soup I've ever had!"

Corpse snorted, sitting down at the table. "You're really too fucking cute."

He froze at the same time Sykkuno did, eyes widening with panic. "Uh, sorry, I didn't mean to say that."

"Oh, um, it's okay!" Sykkuno was quick to reassure, giving a small smile. "I know you're just joking--I'm not the most attractive guy, after all."

For a long moment, Corpse stared at him, as if he was trying to decipher something. Then, his eyes suddenly narrowed. "I didn't _mean_ to say it... but I didn't say that I _didn't_ mean it."

"Oh, um." Sykkuno ducked his head, concentrating on his food. He hoped he could blame the renewed warmth in his cheeks from the heat of the soup. Or his fever. "Thank you?"

"A-Anytime."

The genuineness in that comment made Sykkuno flush again.

A few minutes of silence passed before they started talking about their videos again, seeming to sense that as a relatively safe topic. It worked, and Sykkuno found that everything he learned about Corpse just made him want to know more.

Before long, the soup had been eaten, but two of them continued to chat, seeming unwilling to do anything that would make the conversation end.

The sense of awkwardness faded away until Sykkuno, when he thought about it, almost couldn't believe that they'd really just met.

Of course, that led to a question about just how _long_ Sykkuno had been asleep.

And, well...

"Over a _day_!?" Sykkuno tried not to yell, but Corpse's answer had honestly thrown him off-guard.

"I'm sorry." Again, Corpse looked strangely guilty. "But even after I got you back here and dried you off, you wouldn't wake up. I really should've taken you to the hospital, but your fever went down after a few hours, so I thought it was alright even though you kept on sleeping..."

"N-No, I meant it when I said I didn't have the money," Sykkuno hurried to reassure. "And, honestly, I was feeling pretty tired even before I got stuck in that storm, so I'm not really surprised?"

It was the truth. And, even if it was odd that Sykkuno had slept for so long, he didn't want Corpse to feel bad about it at all. It wasn't his fault that Sykkuno hadn't been properly taking care of his health lately.

Though, the idea that it was apparently _Friday_ when Sykkuno's mind told him that it should still be Wednesday... was unsettling.

"I hope no one's worried," Sykkuno whispered, heart clenching.

He knew that, even if Lily was probably the only one who liked him as a person, they were all very good people. They wouldn't want anyone to get hurt or go missing.

Sykkuno swallowed. "I hope they didn't call my family either. They'd definitely freak out."

Corpse seemed to hesitate for a moment before nodding towards the door. "I can take you back if you want?"

"Now?" Sykkuno flushed. "I-I mean, n-not that I am against it! I've already taken so much of your time as is! And you're a YouTuber like me, so I know how it is when you don't produce content on a regular basis, so I'm really sorry if I--"

"Sykkuno, calm down," Corpse said gently, his voice soothing and calming the building panic in Sykkuno's chest. "It's fine. We can do whatever you want."

"Then..." Sykkuno swallowed. "I should probably go home. Make sure that they know I'm okay."

"Then that's what we'll do."

Corpse stood, holding out a hand to Sykkuno. He took it, grateful as he felt a bit unsteady as he rose to his feet. With Corpse's careful movement, they made their way out of the apartment and down to where Corpse's car was parked.

A few minutes later found Sykkuno in the passenger seat, wrapped up in a hoodie that had previously been on Corpse with sleeves that were a bit too long. He didn't mind, having always preferred loose and comfortable clothing.

It was also really warm, or maybe he was just cold? He felt a bit guilty for borrowing it from Corpse, but the other man had insisted.

The drive was quiet, their previous easy discussions seeming to have disappeared in thin air.

Or maybe it was more accurate to say that there were things that they, or at least Sykkuno, wanted to say, but it was the reminder of reality had stilled their tongues. It felt like he'd just been in a bubble for however long, and now it'd been popped.

All too soon, Corpse parked in front of the OTV House. Sykkuno looked at it, feeling strangely apprehensive for the first time.

Maybe he should've called first? They were probably really mad at him for just leaving like that, as well as for whatever had made them upset with him in the first place.

If not, they were _definitely_ upset that he hadn't contacted them for over a day. It was honestly really inconsiderate of him, even if he _had_ been unconscious for most of it.

Was... was this the best idea--

"You don't have to go inside," Corpse said softly, bringing Sykkuno from his thoughts. "We can just go back to my apartment."

 _And then what_?

Sykkuno didn't ask, but refusing felt harder to do than it probably should have been.

"It's okay," Sykkuno said with a small smile. "They're my friends. It'll be okay."

Even though he didn't fully believe it, he opened up the passenger side door. He hesitated before he could step out.

If there was anything Sykkuno knew, it was that he didn't want this to be the last time he saw Corpse.

"I... can I have your number?" Sykkuno asked, timid and not quite looking Corpse in the face, afraid for the possible rejection. "It's okay if you don't want--"

"It's totally fine!" Corpse interrupted before clearing his throat. "I, uh, am glad that you asked."

"Of course!" Sykkuno said, smiling brightly before pausing. "I am too."

After Corpse took out his phone and nodded that he was ready, Sykkuno dutifully repeated his number back to him. As Corpse saved it to his contacts list, Sykkuno felt strangely accomplished. Calmer even.

Like, no matter what happened next, he had at least done something right today.

"Well then..." Sykkuno slowly swung his feet outside to the pavement and stood up, using the car as support.

Corpse looked ready to jump out to help him. "Do you... want me to walk you inside?"

Sykkuno tilted his head. From the impression he'd gotten and a few tidbits from their previous conversation, he'd gotten the sense that Corpse didn't like interacting with others.

Or it was probably more accurate to say that he had social anxiety, which Sykkuno could relate to all too well. He wouldn't want to make Corpse do something that would put him so far out of his comfort zone--especially after all he'd done for him.

"It's fine," Sykkuno said, feeling steady enough on his feet to get inside at least. He felt a cough tickling his throat, but he held it in. "I'll text you back once I get my phone, okay?"

He looked down at the hoodie. He felt strangely reluctant to part with it, but it wasn't his in the first place. "I, do you want this back now or--"

"Keep it," Corpse said quickly. "I honestly have dozens of the same one. And you're sick, so you really should be dressed in multiple layers anyway."

"And here I thought you said you weren't a doctor," Sykkuno said with a teasing grin, wanting to squeeze out this moment for as long as he could. "Pretty sus."

Corpse's eyes crinkled with amusement. "Pretty sus."

"Oh my God, _Sykkuno!?"_ came a voice from behind him.

Sykkuno stiffened and swung around, momentarily dizzy as he did.

When his vision settled, he saw Lily standing in the doorway with a hand over her mouth in shock. Toast had apparently been standing near her because he was now making his way down the path with as serious of an expression that Sykkuno had ever seen.

Sykkuno felt his stomach flip, but he knew that he deserved whatever Toast had to say.

He glanced back at Corpse whose eyes darted nervously from Toast's approaching figure to Sykkuno. He seemed to be silently asking if he needed to stay, even though his tight grip on the steering wheel made it clear that he felt uncomfortable.

Sykkuno shook his head with a smile, closing the door with a wave.

"Bye Corpse," he whispered, probably too soft to hear.

But Corpse seemed to hear it because something steeled in his expression. To Sykkuno's surprise, instead of driving away, he rolled down the passenger side window. He leaned back in the driver's seat, as if waiting.

Sykkuno would've asked what he was doing, but that was when Toast stopped in front of Sykkuno.

" _Where_ have you been?" Toast demanded, a question that seemed to be echoed by Lily who had also run towards them. She was now looking Sykkuno up and down.

Toast glanced at the car and narrowed his eyes at Corpse. "And who the hell is this?"

"H-He's a friend!" Sykkuno was quick to say at the same time Corpse growled out, "Why does he have to answer you?"

Sykkuno froze, almost in disbelief at the sudden aggressiveness in Corpse's voice. It was honestly really intimidating. He would probably be really good at threatening people and acting as the imposter.

 _It's probably not the right time to think about that,_ thought Sykkuno as he saw the glare on Toast's face only intensify.

Sykkuno was honestly terrified that they were about to start an argument--about what, he didn't know--but luckily, or maybe not, it was then that the cough that had been tickling his throat refused to be ignored any longer.

A deep, heaving sound erupted from his throat, powerful enough that he had to lean on Lily. She was quick to steady him, placing a hand to his forehead before making a sound of displeasure.

"You're burning up!" she exclaimed. "Sykkuno, are you sick?"

"He is," Corpse said from behind him, tone returning to that deep concern that Sykkuno was becoming familiar with. "He was outside for fuck knows how long during the storm and slept for over a day. He hasn't had any medication."

"And how do you know that?" Toast asked, sounding similar to how he did when he interrogated someone in Among Us, but somewhere much worse.

"H-He saved me," Sykkuno said in between coughs.

"Saved you _how_ \--"

"This is not the time, Toast," Lily admonished, wrapping an arm around Sykkuno and ushering him towards the house. "We need to take care of Sykkuno right now."

Toast didn't move, lips pressed in a thin line as he stared down Corpse in the driver's seat. The look on Corpse's face showed that he was also refusing to back down, eyes narrowed even though Sykkuno could see the trembling of his hands increase.

 _He must be so uncomfortable_.

"T-Toast," Sykkuno called out, a bit surprised when Toast looked at him immediately. "P-Please, can we... go inside?"

Their gazes locked for a few seconds. Some unreadable emotion passed through Toast's eyes and he sighed. He nodded silently and walked up the path towards them, not glancing back at Corpse again.

But Sykkuno did.

As he was led towards the house, Sykkuno turned to give another small wave, trying to smile as best as he could to show that everything was alright.

Corpse seemed to understand, slowly nodding before slowly rolling up the passenger side window. But even then, he didn't immediately drive away.

Sykkuno felt something warm inside of him at the sight.

It was a warmth that, even when Sykkuno was suddenly surrounded by a crowd of loud people inside, didn't fade away.

**Author's Note:**

> Man, so many misunderstandings... and Sykkuno truly is too hard on himself. He's an amazing person who deserves all the care in the world.
> 
> (Something that Corpse has quickly volunteered himself to do, lol)
> 
> I have a few sequel ideas ruminating in my head (like it feels weird to have Protective Corpse vs Protective Toast/Friends when they're all on the same side of caring for Sykkuno) but we'll see how it goes!


End file.
